Rather melodramatic
by Seth Figment
Summary: The diamond was actually the conduit to enlightenment. When Turlough slapped it away he had a second of clarity. What he saw in that moment left him questioning. [Post episode/serial: "Enlightenment" from season 20.]
1. Chapter 1

A/N: Post episode/serial: "Enlightenment" from season 20.

* * *

The diamond was actually the conduit to enlightenment. When Turlough slapped it away he had a second of clarity. What he saw in that moment left him questioning.

* * *

Laying in his bed in the TARDIS Turlough stares up at the ceiling, trying to sort through his thoughts.

Since he met the Doctor he's been questioning how a species so outwardly similar to his own can be so different biologically.

Before the Doctor he had never heard of a species with a full body regeneration cycle in response to physical damage. Regeneration of limbs. Yes. Or metamorphism in response to it.

The Time Lords' regeneration cycle might be comparable to a metamorphism, but if so, it is not similar to any other that Turlough have heard about.

All species that he know about that posses the capability to metamorph are far from humanoid. So that the Time Lords could have kept such a basic physical shape yet evolved to regenerate is more than improbable.

Then there is the TARDIS design. The control station seems to be made for several people to operate, yet there are no clear partitions between stations or sections. From trying to fly the TARDIS on his own Turlough learned that this makes it verging on impossible to steer by oneself.

While watching the Doctor manipulate the controls he can see him struggle, but sometimes when he pays particular attention, it almost seems as if switches and gears, move and turn on their own. As if someone is helping. Or something...

_Suddenly he was surrounded by looming white tendril. Reaching out for him from the Doctor. But when he looked at the Time Lord his shape was blurry, non distinct. Seemingly shifting in and out with someone, something else, taller and paler._

Sitting up Turlough stares down at his hand as he recalls what he saw a split second after touching the diamond holding enlightenment.

Standing Turlough flexes his hand open and closed a couple of times, before looking back up and determinedly heads for the control room to talk with the Doctor.


	2. Chapter 2

"You don't understand!"

Crossing his arms Turlough watches the Doctor pace back and forward. "Well, then. If you were to clarify I-"

"No! You-. I- I can't. You can't understand. You would just-" Cutting himself of the Doctor stops his pacing and turns away.

Frowning Turlough looks at the hunched shoulders of the Doctor. "I would what?"

Leaning in Turlough strains to hear the Doctor's forbidding whisper. "Go mad..."

Raising an eyebrow, Turlough looks unimpressed. "Really now, Doctor."

Suddenly twirling around the Doctor holds out a rumpled piece of paper. "Read this first."

Taking the creased piece of paper, Turlough looks at it noting that it seems to be an old ripped out page from a notebook. The handwriting shaky and smudged.

Looking up at the Doctor, Turlough briefly holds meets his anxious eyes before letting out a sigh.

Leaning on the TARDIS' control station, Turlough is just about to start to read when out of the corner of his eye he sees the Doctor move away from him.

Curious he focuses back on the piece of paper. "_The deepest of ..." _


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: The first paragraph here is supposed to be an over dramatic description.

* * *

"_The deepest of bright white, like staring into a star and seeing the entirety of space blinking back at you with an unending number of eyes._

_Yet as blind at it is blinding in its unfathomable awe striking omnipotence. _

_Branching out like the tendrils of time. Ever reaching, coiling, grasping at one's sanity tearing it apart._"

Raising an unimpressed brow at the words Turlough looks up to meet the Doctor's apprehensive gaze.

Glancing critically between the page and the Doctor, Turlough can't help but be doubtful. "'Unfathomable awe striking omnipotence'?"

Waving away the words with a hand gesture the Doctor looks nervously around the TARDIS at everything but Turlough. "Are you still sure?"

Putting the rumpled paper down Turlough clasps his hands behind his back. "Sure as I ever will be."

Eyes finally snapping back to meet Turlough's, the Time Lord looks at him with grave, serious eyes. "Turlough."

Smiling reassuringly, Turlough steps away from the TARDIS' controls station. "I'm sure, Doctor."

Eyes flickering away from Turlough the Doctor closes his eyes before straightening in resolve. Curious Turlough watches as the Time Lord closes his eyes and suddenly the the air seems to ripple and he feels something snap in his mind.

Blinking to try and focus his gaze, Turlough's eyes fall on a stark white, long-limbed, bipedal.

Slightly surprised the Trion's eyes shoot up to meet the Doctor's but where eyes usually would be there are none. No mouth to speak of for that mater either, only smooth white skin.

Letting his eyes wander lower down the texture of the skin changes, going bumpy with inlays of what appear to be white pearlescent gemstones. Or maybe iridescent scales?

Movement catching his eye, Turlough notices how there seems to be tendrils coiling out from the Time Lord's body.

Curious he steps closer, but his movement makes the Doctor jerk back. Stopping mid step he frowns and watches the tendrils start to coil frantically, if not... anxiously?

Rolling his eyes Turlough looks up into the blank face. "Oh, don't be ridiculous. Stop that."

Stiffening the Doctor ceases absolutely all movement.

Continuing forward Turlough finally comes close enough to see that the skin isn't actually bumpy, but made up by twisted tendrils, which coil out at seemingly random places from the body.

Taking a closer look at what he assumed to maybe be iridescent scales, he can now see that his first thought of them being pearlescent gemstones was far more accurate. Up close they looked just like smooth crystallised mineral pockets peeking out between the twisted tendrils. "Fascinating."

Watching the stiff tendrils twitch they abruptly seem to deflate at his choice of word. "Ṫ͖̞̪̀̂ṷ̡̤͈͂͋͛͘r̲̞̎̾l͇̪͙͛͑͊o͙̥͐͡u̬̥͎͆̄̌̆̚͜͟g͓̺͎̼̓͛̋̀ȟ̖̖̬̔̕ ?"

Ignoring the odd echo like cadence to the Time Lord's voice Turlough gets the distinct impression that the Doctor is staring at him incredulously.

Smile tugging at his lips the Trion makes a show of raking his eyes over the Doctor. "Earthlings go mad from seeing you?"

Head cocked in confusion the tendril appears to spiral in equal bewilderment. "Y͖̥̏͐e̩̳͛͊͟͝s̪͂ ."

Letting his eyes wander up to the Doctor's face, Turlough keeps his gaze where eyes usually would be and smiles. "Well, they have always been rather melodramatic."

Suddenly the tendrils coil eagerly, reaching out for him as reverberating laughter echoes trough the TARDIS.

* * *

A/N: This is based on a theory I have about Time Lords being Eldritch.

Side note: Dear heavens H.P Lovecraft had a bloody fit about "fish people". Seriously, non of his monster were in all likelihood that scary or surreal looking. He would run away mad with fear if he saw a Cyberman. Which you should, but not 'cause of their looks.

Basically the Marshmen from the ep. "Full Circle" would have scared him out of his wits, and Silurians would be an indescribable terror. Don't even get me started on how indescribably horrendous and unearthly he would have perceived the Alpha Centauri to be. Every single Doctor Who alien would have counted as an Eldritch abomination.

Anyway, what do you think?

If you like this idea/plot you may use it as a prompt, inspiration or whatever to a story of your own. I don't mind. Would love it if you left a comment if you did though, so I can see what you made. ^^

If anyone is interested my name on tumblr is Seth-Figment.

Got this far? Why not leave a comment/review?


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